Preparing a Slide Presentation for ANTEC

Mark A. SpaldingThe Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI

Stephen J. DerezinskiExtruder Tech, Inc., Penfield, NYExtrusion Division TPC, ANTEC 2003

Slide Format Equations

Transitions Slides Photographs

Graphs Content

Diagrams Tips

Tables Summary

Topics

Slide Format

Background for Slides

Use a dark background, such as shown here.

Dark blue is most easily viewed by most people and recommended.

Text Font and ColorUse the largest size fonts that fit withthe space on the slide.

Use bold font styles.

White font color is recommended.

Text Font and Color

Never use red on a blue background like this.

Text Font and ColorRemember that many in theaudience will not have perfect visionand some will be color blind.

Plan for a large presentation room. Uselarge bold fonts that will be visible fromall parts of a large room.

Text Font and Color

An example of poor font style

An example of poor font size

An example of poor font color

An example of poor font color

Company AffiliationDo NOT place your company name or logoon the footer or header of the slides.

Company names and logos are only to be on the first slide.

Reference to any specific commercial item is to be made generic for the rest of the slides.

Commercialism

To say the least, it is very poor etiquette to deliver a “sales pitch” on the pretext of a technical presentation.

TransitionSlides

Transition Slides

Transition slides like the previous slideprovide a great way to inform theaudience of a topic change.

Use keeps your audience focused.

Graphs

GraphsConvey numerical information with the minimum amount of detail.

Make graphs large enough to be easily seen anywhere in the room.

Instead of a legend consider using

text labels.

Use bold type and large symbols.

Graphs

Use different line patterns, line thickness, and symbols to distinguish data.

Graphs

Example: Poor Graph

Figure 4. Extrusion rate for three screws.

Example: Good Graph

Screw A

Screw C

Screw B

Diagrams

DiagramsDiagrams are excellent for clearly showing the pertinent details of the object of discussion.

DiagramsLeave plenty of time in your presentation for the audience to become familiar with your diagram.

Over a minute is not too long.

Example: Poor DiagramHopper Barrel

FeedCasing

Ledge Plate

ScrewCoolingChannel

DischargeAssembly

Figure 3. Schematic of the solids conveying device with the ledge plate installed.

Hopper Barrel

FeedCasing

Ledge Plate

ScrewCoolingChannel

DischargeAssembly

Example: Good Diagram

Tables

Tables

Tables should be used for information that is not numerical.

Example of a Table

NoYesNoNylon

YesYesYesPE

YesNoNoPET

NoYesYesPP

WhiteBlueRedRESIN

Resin Colors

TablesAvoid the use of tables for numerical results.

Use a graph instead.

Rates for a Mixture ofCommercial PS Pellets

(An Example of a Poor Table)

Screw Speedrpm Screw A Screw B Screw C Screw A Screw B Screw C Screw A Screw B Screw C

30 45 60 51 1.5 2 1.7 250 232 24050 75 100 85 1.5 2 1.7 252 234 24270 105 140 119 1.5 2 1.7 254 236 24690 135 180 153 1.5 2 1.7 256 238 250

Rate, kg/h Specific Rate, kg/h Temperature, C

The next slide illustrates the trend of these data much more readily as a graph.

Graph of Previous Table

Screw B

Screw A

Screw C

Equations

EquationsUse equations to illustrate physical phenomena, and graph them if possible.

Use only commonly accepted nomenclature.

EquationsRefer to your paper for complicated mathematical developments.

Equations must never demonstrate an exercise in algebra.

EquationsPoor Example

nn

nnn

N

n

nn

nnn

a

nnn

s

hn

hsmF

hn

hsm

hh

sm

d

d

21

3

1

21

)1(

2

)3(2

)()2(

1)1(2

)()2(

2

2

EquationsGood Example

2/)1(2 ))(1( no

and n are constants.

EquationsAssumptions and conditions that make your equations accurately capture the essence of a process (with results) will be much more useful to a general ANTEC audience rather than a mathematical development.

Photographs

PhotographsPhotos should be:

•uncluttered,

•well focused, and

•well lighted.

PhotographsIdeally, the subject should be isolated against a plain background.

If not, the subject should be obvious and distinct.

Photographs

Sometimes it is appropriate to use a familiar object (e.g., a ruler) in a photograph to establish dimensional scale.

Photographs

Labeling (e.g., with balloons) is recommended to point out important aspects of the subject.

Photographs - Good Example

HopperBarrel

Single-Screw Extruder

Content

Content

Keep the content of the slides close

to the content of the paper.

The best presentations generally teachthe audience an important and usefulaspect of your topic.

Provide useful conclusions andrecommendations that are backed by quality data.

Content

ContentState the goals of the presentation at thestart of the talk.

Slide titles should follow the paper sections.

Introduction Materials Equipment Results

Conclusions (or Summary)

ContentPresent the minimum amount of information on the slides needed to clearly introduce and outline your ideas to the audience.

The details of the work should be in the paper, part of your supporting discussion, and used to answer questions.

Tips

TipsNo more than three key sentences

or statements are typical on a good

single slide.

Tips - SlangSlang words are not appropriate for technical presentations.

Slang words can mislead the audience.

They create difficulties for our non-US colleagues.

Tips - Slang

The temperature of the first barrel zonewas dropped to 230oC.

The temperature of the first barrel zonewas decreased to 230oC.

Slang

Correct

Tips - Abbreviations

Use only standard abbreviations.

Do not use numerous abbreviations.

Tips – Poor Abbreviations Example

“The super-duper plasticating extruder (SDPE)is shown by Figure 6. This SDPE worked wellfor LDPE.”

The audience will quickly loose interestif they need to learn and translatenumerous abbreviations.

Tips – Good AbbreviationsExample

“The low density polyethylene (LDPE)used had a melt index (MI) of 2. Thecomparative LDPE resin had an MI of 3.”

Tips - Write Now Guide

Many great presentation tips are givenin the SPE Write Now Guide.

A copy of the Write Now Guide can be obtained at:

https://www.4spe.org/sites/default/files/Write-Now-Rev-%2008-12.pdf

Summary•Large font, large font, large font

•Bold font

•White or other light colored font, never red

•Dark blue shaded background

Summary•Graphs for numerical results

•Tables for non-numerical results

•Diagrams of equipment

•Clear, labeled photographs

Summary

•Minimal number of equations

•Common nomenclature and abbreviations

•Limited number of abbreviations

SummaryA well done presentation will be an enjoyable, rewarding and lasting professional moment.

S. J. Derezinski and M. A. Spalding